Have you ever wondered that how could you get past the pattern lock of your friend's android device? Do you find it difficult memorizing the complex pattern lock on someone's android phone or tablet?Do you want to spy someone but android patterns are pushing down the Sherlock in you? Do you feel dumb to ask your friends to draw the security pattern every time you want to use their android? Well, if the answer to the any or all above questions is yes, don't feel dumb anymore, as we will make you feel dumber when we tell you how easy it is to get past the android pattern. 

Android pattern locks or any pattern locks, for that matter can be difficult to crack. Remembering the patterns can be even more difficult or confusing, to say the least. But, that doesn't answer our question. Does it? The secret in their being confusing and difficult lies in upper elementary mathematics. When we make a pattern, we have 9 points to choose from. Similarly, the second point has 8 options, the third point has 7 and so on. This makes an average or below average pattern which has 5 points, to bear 15,120 permutations (9*8*7*6*5). This number increases as the complexity and the points involved increase. If we are talking about a pattern with say, 7 points. There can be 181,440 ways to draw a pattern. So, if you are still reluctant to break in and feeling lucky with numbers, we urge you to try your chances. However, trust us, it will take ages to try 15,120 possibilities. By the way, we are just talking about best case scenario. Did you consider. what if the target android device's pattern consists of more than 5 points?

If you are still not convinced, good luck to your code breaking. May the Math force be with you. But, if your friend feels uncomfortable to let you have his phone for years, here is how you do it. 

1. A rooted android phone running Android Kitkat (4.4.x) or less. This trick won't work on Android Lollipop(5.x). 

2. ES file explorer or any root browser to be installed on your target device.

3. A trusting friend or a manipulative brain over your shoulders to fetch you access of the target device for once. Although, it seems difficult, but it is not. You may ask your friend to let him make a call, or to check your mail. He or she will have to unlock the device for that. right? 

If it still doesn't work, some emotional drama won't hurt. Pull your actor card now!

So, here is how you do it. 

1. Open ES explorer or root explorer. I will be using root browser for the tutorial. Make sure that you have granted the root permissions to the app you are using.

2. Navigate to Local/device/data/system using ES explorer or root/data/system using Root Browser

3. The pattern lock is saved in a file called gesture.key

4. Delete this file.

5. You may or may not see a pattern lock now. If you see one, you can open it with any pattern.

1. Create a folder by right clicking anywhere without selecting any particular item and then going all the way down to new and then clicking on folder.

6. Now you will have a folder without any icon.

But hey, your work is not done yet. We still need to remove the folder name:

8. Now all you need to do is to rename the folder to a blank character. To do so, press shift key and without releasing it, type 0160 on numeric keypad.

In case you don't have a numeric keypad, you need to follow the steps up to seven as stated above. After getting rid of the icon, you need to start your On-Screen Keyboard. Just press the Windows and R buttons simultaneously (Win+R) and once you get to see the Run prompt, enter 'osk' in the text field. This will bring up the On-Screen Keyboard.

Easy-peasy! 

Now click on Options in the lower-middle-right of the On-Screen Keyboard. This would open an options dialog. Check the third check-box from top that says Turn on numeric key pad.

Now press alt (on your physical keyboard) and 0160 (on the On-Screen Keyboard) simultaneously. 

Video walk-through: